Vacuum-tube holder



Oct. l, 1929. A, A, KENT- 1,730,010l

I VACUUM TU'BE'SHOLDER -Y Filed Nov. 15. 1926 v 1.9 19a ATTORNEY..

vPatented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR A'IWATER KENT, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA VACUUM-TUBE HOLDER Application led November My invention relates to holders orterminal blocks for vacuum tubes, such as audions or' the like, utilized in radio systems and other relations.

My invention resides in al1-older or-terminal block of th'e character referred to suited.

1 5 perforationsv in proper 'relation and also of a.

" character preventing substantial tipping of the tube with consequent impairment of the conductive paths afforded by the spring con-- tacts engaging said terminals. 2o My invention resids'i the structure and features of construction of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For. an illustration of one of the various forms my inventionmay take, reference is to be had to the which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a holder or terminal block with a vacuum -tube positioned thereon,` and is taken on the line 1-1 o-f Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. I e

Fig. 2 is a lhorizontal sectional view, partly in plan, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Y looking inthe direction of the arrows. U Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the tube terminals positioned in conductive relation with their contact members.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figs. l and 2 with the tuberemoved. Fig. 5 is a viewv corresponding with Fig. 1, but taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction'of the arrows. i Fig. 6 .is a transverse vertical View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. Ll, loo in the direction of the arrows. l

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illus# trated a thermionic deviceV, as a vacuum tube of the audion type, hereinshown as 50 comprising the usual 'glass envelope secured accompanying drawing, in

I sectional king 15', 192e. serial N'o. 148,334.

- to and extending from the base 2. As is well understood in the art, the device V comprises a lila-ment or cathode, a grid or control electrode, and a plate or anode. Extending from the base 2 and suitably secured thereto 55 are the conductive members, prongs, ter- Ininals or stems 3 of the aforesaid filament or' cathode and the conductive members, prongs or 'terminals 4 and 5 connected, re-

spectively, to the aforesaid grid and plate.

Itis well understood in the art that the terminals of the vacuum tube may be passed 'through perforations or passages a terminal block into conductive engagement with contact or terminal members carried thereby. To the end that the cathode, control electrode and plate terminals shall always be associatedonly with the -proper contact members, it is customary to so form some or all .of the 4various terminals that they differ peripherally vamong themselves, and to shape the l"walls of the various passages receivipg the -terminals in a similar manner.

Examples of this type of construction found in the prior art, while satisfactory in some respects, are unsatisfactory in others,

primarilybecause in, the restricted space of an ordinary radio receiving set it 'is difficult to register the. tube terminals with the passages in the terminal block receiving the l same. Furthermore,L even after Ithe, aforesaid terminals have been passed through the proper passages in the terminalf block, the vacuum tube may come to rest in a variety of positions, or it may be easilytilted, and-as a result, the electrical connections between the 4vacuum tube terminals and the contact members associated therewith often develop high lresistance qualities or prove otherwise unsatisfactory. v

In accordance with my invention, the terminal block of the prior art is replaced by one that is free of the above named dey ects. To this end, there is provided a terminal block or holder member 6 of moldablematerial, as rubber, 'a phenol condensation product, or the like. The tube holder is of a type which dispenses with the barrel, sleeve or socket structure for receiving the ybase 2 of the tube. Accordingly the vholder member 6 with features of structure described itself mounts or holds the vacuum tube and is devoid of any such barrel, sleeve or socket. -As particularly illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the cathode ter- 5 minals 3 depending from base 2 are circular in cross section, of the same diameter, and relatively larger than the diameter of" the similar terminals 4 and. 5 of the grid and plate. Hence,.as illustrated in Fig. 4, there are/provided inthe member 6 the two passages 7 for the aforesaid cathode terminals 3 and the passages 8 and 9 for the aforesaid grid and plate terminals 4 and 5. In conformity with the shape of terminal s-3, 4 and 15. 5, the passages 7, 8 and 9 are circular in cross f section, and the diameter of each passage 7 is slightly greater than the diameter of terminal 3, while the diameter of passages 8 and 9 is likewise slightly greater than the diameter vof terminals 4 or 5. v

` -In order that the vacuum tube terminals mayibe introduced without diiiculty into the aforesaid passages 7, 8 'and 9, there is provided a centering lug or shoulder 10, preferably circular in cross section and having its periphery disposed justl within the passages 7, 8 and 9. Preferably, the aforesaid lug 10 is-formed integrally with the member 6 during the molding operation, and its outer wall slopes from the passages 7, 8 and 9 as indicated at 10, Figs. 5 and 6. Obvious1y,=the vacuum tube terminals may readily be centered around the lug 10, and when so centered the rtube may be rotated in either direction to 35 cause its` terminals to come into registering relation with the proper passages 7, 8 and 9.

The membe'i' 10 serves toguide the tube prongs to their passages particularly by virtue of the periphery of the member 10 whose surfaceis substantially tangent to the upper or receiving ends of the passages. The prong-guiding surface, substantially tangent to the ent-ry ends of at least some of the'prong passages, is that of an integral portion ofthe holder or plate-like member 6. .F Suitably secured to the member 6, as by the rivets 11, isthe pair of. contact members or terminals 12 and the similar contact members or terminals l13 and 14, each of said contact members being formed of phosphor-bronze or other resilient conducting material. i

Each .Contact member 1 2, 13 and 14 comprises an angular portion '15, Fig. 1, normal# Aly occupying a position in the Vpath ,of a

passages 7 8 or 9, Fig. 4. Each contactmember `alsocomprises a relatively 'flat portion maintained by rivet 11 in engagement with the under side of the member 6, and an angular portion 16 adapted to have a conductor soldered or otherwise suitably secured thereto. Preferably, as'indicated inlFifgr'l, there is struck up from each contact member a lug or projection 17 which lieswithin a recess 18 vin the member 6 and prevents rotation of each vacuum tube terminal to be inserted through contact member l12, 13, 14 `around its rivet 12. Depending from the terminal block or member 6 is the member 19, preferably of circular cross section, preferably formed integrally with member 6 during the molding operation, and preferably recessed as indi- I cated at 19a. As illustrated in--Fig. 5, the

outer periphery of member 19 should form descent of the tube engaging the angular portions -15 of contact members 1213 and 14, thereby deliecting or thrusting the latter aside. Due to their inherent resiliency, -how ever, each contact member at its angular porv tion 15 frictionally engages a tube terminal. Ordinarily, when in its final position, each of the tube terminals is slightly spaced from niember 19, but, upon slight tipping of the tube, one of said terminals .engages member 19 and prevents further tipping. However,

any possible tipping movement of the tubeY Y' and its terminals is slight,and, therefore, con- 'tacts 12, 13 and 14 are always maintained in good conductive relation with the respective tube terminals. f

In furtherance of this phase of my inven- Y tion, the face of member`6 adjacent base 2 of tube V may be provided with a plurality of upstanding lugs or shoulders 20, Figs. 2, 4 and 6, one each at least being disposed on each side of the group of perforations. Vhen the tube is" nally seated on the aforesaid late 6, the lower surface of base 2 will either nave engaged the shoulders 20 or moved closely adjacent-thereto." Accordingly, the tube by its base,2v is supported in at least three regions, namely, by shoulders 10 and 20. Or-

dinarily, the periphery .of a base 2 of a vaccum tube forms a slight dependent rim or flange, and, hence, each of the shoulders 20 should rise from member a distance slightly less than does the shoulder 10.

. The structure may be secured to any suitable base, and" for this purpose there may be provided one or more holes 21 through which may pass screws or other fastening devices.

Holder structure of the character hereinbefore described is particularly adapted for radio apparatusof the type disclosed in my Letters Patent No. 1,658,562 or No. 1,668,

155. Obviously, the structure may be adapted for a single tube, as herein illustrated, or may comprise an elongated shelf or support i equipped with a plurality of groups of perforations and associated structure.

If desired, the lugs or shoulders 2O may be disposed on member 6 in such position as to be informatory of the position which the terminals 3, 4 and 5 should take when thev same are to be passed into the passages 7, 8 and 9. Or to convey such information, a suitable index or mark, as indicated at 22, may be arranged on the up er or outer surface of member 6. Thus, with mark 22 positioned as indicated on the drawing, the tube terminals 3, or those of greater diameter, should be nearest said mark when all `are passed into their respective passages.

What I claim is:

1. A holder for a vaccumtube having stem terminals comprising a plate-like member having a central hub and passages for said terminals extending therethrough normal to its substantially plane side; yielding contact members engaging said terminals when the tube is in seated position, and means out of the plane of said side co-acting with the base of said tube to prevent tilting thereof when in said seated position.

2. A holder for a vacuum tube having stem terminals comprising a member having passages for said terminals, yieldingcontact -members engaging said terminals when the tube is seated 'on said member, and means comprising oppositely spaced lugs extendin from the plane of Said member and adapte to engage the base of'said tube. A l

3. A holder for a vacuum tube having stem terminals comprising a memberhaving passagesfor said terminals, a centering shoulder extending from the plane of said member and co-acting with some of said terminals to facilitate entry thereof into said passages, and means adapted to engage the base of said tube in a plurality of regions to space the same from said member. 1

4. A holder for a vacuum tube. having stem terminals comprising a member having passages for said terminals, a centering shoulder extending from the plane of said member and' -co-acting with some of said terminals to` facilitate4 entry thereof into said passages, and means comprising oppositely disposed lugs extending from the plane of said member lesser distances than does said shoulder land adapted to/.fspace the base of saidtube from said member.

J5. A holder for a vacuum tube having stem terminals, comprising a member having passages for said terminals, said member having on the side opposite saidtube a centrally disposed stud-like member around which said lterminals are positioned whereby the axis of.

said tube is maintained pe pla-ne of said first member.

6. holder for a. vacuum tube having 'stem terminals, comprising a member having paspendicular to the sages for said terminals, a centering shoulder extending from one side of said member to faclhtate entry of said lterminals into said passages, said member having a central stndi like member disposed on the opposite' side like member for engaging said tube terminals.-

8. A holder for a vacuum tube having stem terminals, comprising a member having passa es for said terminals, a centering.

shoul er extending from one side of said member to facilitate entry of said terminals into said passages, said member having a central stud-like member disposed on the opposite side thereof around which said terminals are positioned, and flat contact springs spacedcn-cumferentially about and biased toward said stud-like member for engaging said tube terminals.

v [ARTHUR ATWATER KENT. 

